Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1887-05-05
DUEL BETWEEN TWO STORKS.
A Farmer with a Gun Terminates the Battle
Base Conduct of Hen Bird.

A Farmer with a Gun Terminates the Battle
Base Conduct of a Hen Bird.
The popular superstition according to
which storks, when deprived of their
mates, are supposed to spend the remain
der of their lives in solitary grief, mourn
ing over the loss of the departed one, has
just received a rude shock. According to
the following account, of which the truth
is vouched for, it would appear that the
female stork is just as liable to err from
the path Of virtue as the remainder of
her sex. For several years past couple
of storks had been in the habit of spend
ing the summer months in comfortable
nest which they had laboriously construct
ed on the gable end of barn which
formed q part of farm not far from
Buda-P They used to arrive in the
early spring, hatch the regular number
of eggs, and, after spending the hot days
of July and August In educating their
young, would all fly off to a warmer
CLINE on the approach of winter. Last
summer they arrived as usual, and after
a time began to devote all their energies
to Matching the eggs. When the hen bird
was not sitting, the husband would grave
ly take her place, carefully spreading
himself in such manner as to cover all
the unborn olive branches of the family.
One day, however, just about the time
when the little ones were about to make
their entry into the world, great noise
was heard On the roof of the barn. Look
ing upward the farmer preceiyed that a
new male stork of unusual size and beauty
had made his arrival and was engaged in
a warm discussion with the couple estab-
lished in the nest. Clapper, clapper,
| clapper went the long bills; feathers be-
gan to be ruffled, ard at length, aroused
by some terribly insulting expression on
| the part of the stranger, the male bird
issued forth from his nest and began a
| pitched battle in defense of his honor and
home. The duel lasted for d long time,
| and the battle waxed fast and furious.
| Curlously enough, the hen bird did not
attempt to take the slightest part in the
combat. She showed some evidence Of
excitement, occasionally stood up in the
nest and made some remark with her bill
and wings in stork language, and then sat
down again upon her eggs. When the sun
went down the strange stork flew away,
| both of the combatants covered with
! blood. The hen bird received her lord
and master with all signs of most exag-
gerated affection, and appeared to con-
graduate him on his gallant conduct
| The next morning, however, the stranger
reappeared, and recommended the battle
of the day before. Thoroughly exasper-
ated against the intruder, the farmer got
ont his gun, and, forgetful of the super
! stition which exists against killing a
stork, fired at the strange bird. Sad to
relate instead of killing the later, the hus-
band stOrk fell hfeless to the ground
Curiously enough, the sound of the gun
did not appear to create the least impress
sion on the remaining birds. The hen
! stork did not make the slightest attempt
to continue the struggle or to take to
! fight. She remained quietly sitting on
her nest, the stranger standing some
distance off. Gradually he began to edge
along the ridge of the roof toward the
nest, and when he got quite close thereto
the hen likewise arose and stood upright.
Fer more than an hour they remained
| standing next to one another engaged in
the most eager discussion. At length
they seemed to have come to an under
standing. After moments pause they
suddenly hoped into the nest, and work
ing like very fur!es, they united their eff
forts in throwing the whole of the eggs out
CT it on the ground below. AS soon as
they had com pleted this work of distruc-
ton, they both appeared to be slightly
overcome, and for about ten minutes re-
NAMED standing perfectly still, each on
ono leg, their bills resting on each others
shoulder. At length they simultaneously
| flew mp into the air, and after circulating
| round a few times disappeared out OF
sight.
1t may be only coincidence, but within
few weeks of the above fight not only
the barn, but large portion of the farm
buildings was destroyed by fire, entailing
| a heavy loss on the PROPRIETOR